Accumulator-electrode.



c .L Eg?.

A. HICKS.

AGCUMULATUB ELECTRGDE,

(Apphcatmn led May 18 1900 (No Model.)

NrTED STATES t PATENT OEEICE.,

ALBERT RICKS, OF BERLIN, GERMANY.

ACCUMULATOR-EL ECTRODE.

SPECEIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 685,797, dated November5, 1901. Application tiled May 18, 1900. Serial No. 17,109. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT Rions, a subject of the Emperor of Germany,and a resident of Berlin, Germany, have invented a new and usefulAccumulator-Electrode, of which the following is a specification.

The invention is fully and clearly set forth in the followingspecication and then pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of referencerefer throughout to similar parts, Figure l is a vertical crosssectionof an electrode embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents in differentviews certain modifications. Fig. 3 is a similar representation of othermodifications. Fig. 4 shows the electrodes connected as an accumulator.Figs. 5 to 1l illustrate on different scales details of my invention.

As known to those skilled in the art, there exist at present manydisadvantages in the electrodes employed by the different systems ofaccumulators, among which especially are the short duration of theireffectiveness and the excessive weight involved in their construction.In the present invention, however, these as well as certain otherobjectionable features are eliminated or greatly reduced, as will behereinafter explained.

In the construction of my invention the electrode is formed as follows:In order to give an active mass properand sufficient stability, a platea, (see Figs. l, 2, 3, and 5,) formed of the thinnest possible material,as celluloid or mica, properly insulated, is ernployed asabaseorsupport.This plate ais first coated with some adhesive material, as gumarabic orcelluloid solutions or any other serviceable and desirable adhesive'substance,and then covered with a working mass h in finest granularform, (see Fig. 1,) which granular mass is of the same stuff as theactive mass which was previously by means of cement Well connected andhardened. This tough bearing hardened granular and active mass forms aperfect adhesive and complete cover to the plate approximately at allpoints of equal thickness and height. When the adhesive material isdried-as, for instance, an adhesive substance formed of a solution ofgum-arabic on hard rubber-then it will be found that the same is sotightly cemented that it is impossible to remove it save by breaking itin pieces. By this it is obvious that a plate is obtained which can besubstituted in place of the excessively-heavy lead grids heretoforeemployed. It is adapted to receive an active mass applied in any knownmanner, cementing or binding the grains together in extraordinarysolidity. In order that the adhesive material may be given even agreater stability to the plate a, the latter can (see Figs. 2 and 3) beprovided with ribs CZ or with grooves f. Between the ribs or projectionsspaces e are formed, thus giving additional room for applying the activemass. These ribs or grooves in the supporting-plate a may be arrangedhorizontally or diagonally, as desired, their object being to give theadhesive material as well as also the active mass an increased tenacityagainst the volume alteration of the mass in a vertical direction. Inthe horizontal direction the adhesive material (gum-arabic) which isbetween the base and the active mass serves here as a buffer, whichreduces the eect of volume alteration in the direction of the said baseor supporting plate.

As serviceable adhesive materials it is to 'oe understood that all areincluded which are able to form a strong connnection between plates andactive masses, and it can consist of other or essentially the samematerial as that from which the stiff plate is formed.

In place of fastening the active granular mass oto the base-plate@through the means of an adhesive material, as before mentioned, thesame results can be obtained by an application of heat or by means ofsolutions to the plate a, so that the latter is made sticky, in such amanner that the part Z2 is squeezed in, so that when the plate ishardened or stiened the connection between the two is achieved.

In using stiff gu m-arabic as the base-plate a the part b can be broughtupon the said plate before vulcanization of the latter-that is, after itis in a white or kueadable condition. Should, however, gutta-percha beemployed as a base-plate, the connection between it and the mass b canbe effected through the means of heat, inasmuch as the application ofthe latter makes the guttapercha sticky. If soft rubber, celluloid, or

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such material be chosen as the base-plate, it can be made after atreatment of some substance-as benzin, turpentine, ether, acetone,tvc-adaptable for binding the mass b when the latter is pressed againstthe plate, so that after the :stiffening of the latter the two are irmlycemented together. Finally, this process allows the use ot' similarprocesses employed in other arts for handling the baseplate-as, forexample, the said plate can be changed into a stift' body through theapplication ot' heat, as in handling clay, dac., or by use of heat canbe first made a liquid, as with glass, and then afterward cooled andhardened. in connection with the part b, carrying the active mass c, andconsists of a non-lead material or that the body-plate a, is coated byapplication of", for example, aluminium with non-conducting substances,and the active granular parts b in the working mass and which supportsthe latter consists of the same material as this active mass c, sot-hata complicated connection within the mass with metals, as with leadgrids, is now avoided.

Conduction of the current to and fro is effected by means of lead stripsor plates g, which without consideration of the aforementioneddeciencies can be laid between the activo mass and the hase-plate a.(See Fig. Should it be desired, however, to eliminate these deficienciesand obtain a current-conducting means which is changeable and adapted tohold fast to the active mass, the manner illustrated in Figs. 4 to 1lcan be employed. This Anew means eliminates all necessity of employinglugs on the electrodes and, further, does away with all soldering, dac.,which hitherto caused so much work, cost., and trouble. These changeableconducting strips or plates are adapted not alone for mass electrodes,as mine, but also for lead grids or frame systems of electrodes or forsuch electrodes as consist only of lead, for with their employment toannexed, thick, and heavy lugs and the heavy lead rabbets are entirelyeliminated. For this purpose one or more very thin lead strips g are ledfrom one electrode to another, (see Figs. 4, 5, 7, 8, and 10,) whichlast at the pole are joined together, as shown at g in Fig. 10. In placeof the strips I may employ plates g, Fig. l1, which are providedwith'suitable openings Z, soas not to attord any interference with Inall these cases the body a remains that the contact is alwaysmaintained, iuasmuch as the conducting strips or plates follow at alltimes the electrode-surfaces as the volume alteration takes place incharging and discharging the accumulator. It is im-V material whetherthe elastic bodies i or kare arranged in horizontal order, as shown inFigs. 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, or in vertical position, so long as thepressure is adapted to hold the said bodies in continuous contact withthe electrode. Further, it is obvious that the construction of theseelastic bodies permits the conducting strips or plates to aid in firmlyholding the active mass c in its correct position.

It will be seen that through my invention an accumulator is providedwhich is very light, whiclncan be quickly charged and discharged,wl1ichcan be cheaply manufactured, inasmuch as the great amount of work andlabor heretofore expended is done away with, and which will maintain itseffectiveness much longer than those now'known in the art. Y

That is claimed as new is l. An accumulator-electrode, consisting of anon-conducting base provided wit/h' ribs orv grooves, an active mass,and an ad esive substance of inactive material iirmh connecting saidbase and mass,snbstantial,ly as described.

SeY

2. An accumulator-electrode, consisting of a stift non-conducting baselan adhesive material thereon, an active mass in connection therewith andsupported thereby, and means bearing with spring-pressure tocontinuallyV press upon the mass to suitably conduct the currenttherefrom,substantially as described.

An accumulator-electrode consisting of a stiff non-conducting base andan adhesive material of inactive substance thereon, an active mass inline granular form coveringsaid adhesive material, and a conductor, allsubstantially as shown and described.

4. An accumulator-electrode consisting of a stift non-conducting baseand an adhesive material thereon ,an active mass in tine gran uf larform covering said adhesive material, and lead strips arranged betweenthe active mass Y and the base, as set forth.

5. An accumulator-electrode consisting of a stiff non-conducting base,and an adhesive f' i firmly against the active mass, substantially c 1as shown and described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed Y my name, this 30th day ofApril, 1900, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT' RICKS. lVitnesses:

HENRY HAsPER, WOLDEMAR HAUPT.

